The COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S.-China trade war and a new presidential administration in the United States will continue to play significant roles in the economies of Asia. With those issues in mind, the University of Chicago Booth School of Business convened a panel of experts to discuss the events of the last year and the economic factors that are likely to shape 2021 in Asia and beyond.
The Jan. 20 panel, which included Chicago Booth faculty members Randall S. Kroszner and Chang-Tai Hsieh as well as UChicago alum Richard Wong, AB’74, AM’74, PhD’81, focused mainly on China and the policies and challenges facing the country as it slowly liberalizes its economy. The talk was the second in Chicago Booth’s 2021 Economic Outlook series and hosted by Booth’s campus in Hong Kong.
Moderated by Henny Sender, former chief correspondent for international finance for the Financial Times, the hourlong discussion drew the attention of more than 400 attendees, many of whom submitted questions for the panel. The wide-ranging conversation explored China’s approach to the pandemic, shifts and vulnerabilities in China’s economy, and geopolitical issues likely to affect the entire region in the coming year.